


Tradition

by befreckledblake



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Nostalgia, Pancakes, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 08:44:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3804097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/befreckledblake/pseuds/befreckledblake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe it’s because the 1994 Salvatore kitchen is the only one she’s ever seen, but she expects the modern day kitchen to look the same. It does, for the most part. Some of the appliances have been updated, and the CD player is gone. In its place is a much sleeker iPod dock, currently blaring Collective Soul. She can’t help the grin forming on her lips.</p><p>He’s playing their song.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tradition

She spends the first night in her own bed, in her own room; the covers are the ones she picked out in ninth grade, dark purple with lilac butterflies and matching sheets. 

  
Caroline and Elena somehow manage to squeeze themselves into the double bed with her, like they used to when they were kids, giggling and whispering secrets until they fell asleep. The bed had been more spacious back then, but she wouldn’t trade being sandwiched between her two best friends for anything else in the world.  
  
It’s good to be home. It’s good to be here.  
  
But it doesn’t feel quite right. Something is missing; there’s a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that doesn’t seem to want to settle.  
  
She lets Caroline draw her in with tales of traveling the country with Enzo - giving the appropriate eyebrow raises and asking the nitty gritty questions that she always does. Elena tells her about the hospital works she’s been doing, dropping a few hints about a cute boy in her program that she’s got her eye on. And when they ask her about her time on the Other Side, she tells them everything. Before they know it, the sky is lightening, a thin stream of light filtering into the room from her window. Birds chirp cheerfully outside while the girls give each other sheepish looks.   
  
“Does it still count as a sleepover if you don’t actually sleep?” Elena asks, and they all laugh. It feels good.   
  
“My god,” Caroline sighs, her perfect eyebrows scrunching up in the middle of her forehead, “ You really survived that? Living the same day, over and over again? With Damon?” She shudders and gives Bonnie a sympathetic pat on the arm.  
  
And just like that, she knows what’s missing.   
  
“What time is it?” She asks suddenly, tossing the covers around in search of her phone. Caroline shrugs, flopping back onto the mattress and stretching her legs out from beneath her.  
  
“Almost 8.” Elena finds her own cell first, showing Bonnie the screen. The bright blue digits blink expectantly at her. “Why?”  
  
“I’ve got somewhere to be.” Bonnie says, hopping out of bed to run to the bathroom. She brushes her teeth at a near-inhuman speed and splashes some warm water on her cheeks. When she exits the bathroom her friends are staring at her, waiting for an explanation. She opens her mouth, closes it. Shrugs. “It’s tradition.”  
  
She’s out the door before they can ask any questions, and she’s climbing into the car when she hears Caroline hollering after her.  
  
“But you can’t wear  _flannel pajamas_  in public!”  
  
***  
  
Maybe it’s because the 1994 Salvatore kitchen is the only one she’s ever seen, but she expects the modern day kitchen to look the same. It does, for the most part. Some of the appliances have been updated, and the CD player is gone. In its place is a much sleeker iPod dock, currently blaring _Collective Soul_. She can’t help the grin forming on her lips.  
  
He’s playing their song.  
  
Damon is at his usual place, flipping pancakes one-handedly onto a couple plates and wiggling his hips to the beat. He doesn’t look up when she approaches, but when she takes her usual seat she sees his lips quirk up in a smirk.  
  
The table is already set, freshly brewed coffee sitting in a pot, waiting for her to serve. The sugar cubes are neatly arranged in a small porcelain container beside it. Today’s newspaper is laid out for her, the date circled over several times with red marker.   
  
She’s plopping the sugar cubes into their coffees when Damon saunters over, placing a plate full of smiling vampcakes down in front of her with a cheeky grin. She waits for him to take his seat.  
  
“I love your pancakes.” She says, watching his bright blue eyes sparkle.  
  
“I know.” He says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “ _Bon appetit_ , Bon-Bon."   
  
She rolls her eyes, forking a piece of blueberry goodness into her mouth before turning to the crossword.  
  
"What’s a five-letter word for a piece of history?”  
  
_Fin_

 


End file.
